New campaign, new character, first time in faerun [Archive] - Wizards Community

New campaign, new character, first time in faerun [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
tenguroEd
08-07-07, 09:13 PM ok, so my group is starting a campaign in faerun pretty soon (like in the next few months). I am planning to make a Half-orc barbarian, from the North region. I am trying to make I am stuck right there, can anybody give me some ideas, pointers, or tips. Thanks alot in advance.
Blackened_Blade
08-07-07, 09:54 PM Where in Faerun will you be adventuring, exactly? It's a big place, to say the least, with huge cultural variety. Find out where your party is going to start and figure out how the character in question [you] got there. If, for example, you're hanging out in Waterdeep, then the character plot could be relatively straight-forward. I would advice downloading the Player's Guide to the Forgotten Realms and start from there (they give alot of help with character creation, what with names, basic language groups, and regional feats).

Your character is from the North? Well, thats a big region. So, we'll start with the basics. In the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book (for DMs) there is a document written by a native. The document goes on to describe how the orcs make frequent encursions into the realms surrounding the Spine of the World (major mountain range, filled with caves where goblinoids tend to breed very quickly). These invasions tend to come once per generation or so, and rape is a fairly common thing. So, your character could very easy be the product of a rape. This could be expanded upon greatly, but it's your call.

If you should decide that the character lived as an outcast in his own village, then take the easy way out: run away. Faerun, particularly the northern regions by Waterdeep, is covered with trade routes. In fact, one is actually called the Trade Way, which goes from Waterdeep south to Baulder's Gate, and then west until it merges with the Black Road which is Zhentil Keep's main condiut into western markest.
Blackened_Blade
08-07-07, 09:58 PM So from there, you could say that your character made a living as a mercenary (or sellsword as they are want to be called in the west). Picked a tidy living, made a few friends (party members), and then struck out to earn his fortune.

Well, its not great, but I suppose it should give you an idea or two.
Terjon of the Blue Rose
08-08-07, 06:27 AM I'd look into the unapproachable east as well. There is at least one nation where a Zhent army was stopped and many of the orcs within actually settled down and took on simpler lives as farmers living side by side with the humans. I think this may be Sembia but I'm not certain.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
tenguroEd 08-07-07, 09:13 PM	ok, so my group is starting a campaign in faerun pretty soon (like in the next few months). I am planning to make a Half-orc barbarian, from the North region. I am trying to make I am stuck right there, can anybody give me some ideas, pointers, or tips. Thanks alot in advance.
Blackened_Blade 08-07-07, 09:54 PM	Where in Faerun will you be adventuring, exactly? It's a big place, to say the least, with huge cultural variety. Find out where your party is going to start and figure out how the character in question [you] got there. If, for example, you're hanging out in Waterdeep, then the character plot could be relatively straight-forward. I would advice downloading the Player's Guide to the Forgotten Realms and start from there (they give alot of help with character creation, what with names, basic language groups, and regional feats). Your character is from the North? Well, thats a big region. So, we'll start with the basics. In the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting book (for DMs) there is a document written by a native. The document goes on to describe how the orcs make frequent encursions into the realms surrounding the Spine of the World (major mountain range, filled with caves where goblinoids tend to breed very quickly). These invasions tend to come once per generation or so, and rape is a fairly common thing. So, your character could very easy be the product of a rape. This could be expanded upon greatly, but it's your call. If you should decide that the character lived as an outcast in his own village, then take the easy way out: run away. Faerun, particularly the northern regions by Waterdeep, is covered with trade routes. In fact, one is actually called the Trade Way, which goes from Waterdeep south to Baulder's Gate, and then west until it merges with the Black Road which is Zhentil Keep's main condiut into western markest.
Blackened_Blade 08-07-07, 09:58 PM	So from there, you could say that your character made a living as a mercenary (or sellsword as they are want to be called in the west). Picked a tidy living, made a few friends (party members), and then struck out to earn his fortune. Well, its not great, but I suppose it should give you an idea or two.
Terjon of the Blue Rose 08-08-07, 06:27 AM	I'd look into the unapproachable east as well. There is at least one nation where a Zhent army was stopped and many of the orcs within actually settled down and took on simpler lives as farmers living side by side with the humans. I think this may be Sembia but I'm not certain.